Evidence of Disposition and Disposal of Quality and Related Records

Do we have to have evidence of records already disposed, I mean like a sheet that tells when a specific record was destroyed or something like that? I'm asking this because in the company I'm working now the procedure specifies that and I really would like to get rid of that requirement..what do you think?

BEKY
Ours says we shred all obsolete documents, period. When you look at revision history for a particular document, there's the date you shredded it. JMHO

[Michael T]

Hi Beky...

ISO 9001:1994 and 2000 specifies that documented procedures be maintained for disposition of quality records, but does not specify that records be maintained of the disposition of quality records. However it is probably prudent to maintain records of disposal.

Our records retention/disposition system is set up in such a way that a report of records requiring destruction is generated each month for each department. Upon destruction (shredding if hard copy, deletion from the computer if a data file) of the particular records, the person who has responsibility for those records signs off that they were destroyed. This is maintained by the QA Department as evidence of records disposal.

Hope this helps!!

Cheers!

[Marc]

ISO 9001 doesn't but QS-9000 does require you to specify disposal method, as I remember.

Here's the actual way it's written in our Document Revision Control procedure. I also send a document acknowledgement sheet for sign off with the obsolete document returned to me for disposal. Another reason we do that is because people have pulled the wrong page out and trashed it.

5.4.2 Quality documentation surpassed by a revision or replaced with another document shall be returned to the Quality Assurance Department in accordance with Quality Procedure QAP-205-04, Document Administration and Control, and a copy may be retained as a record, if deemed necessary, in an archive in a labeled file to ensure that these documents are secured from use.

5.4.3 Obsolete documents not required for archive purposes shall be immediately destroyed by shredding.

[Michael T]

That sounds good Energy, I wish I could trust them to do that.

When we have a controlled document change, either myself or my cohort in crime will personally remove obsolete documents and replace them with the new revision and destroy the old rev. Luckily we have a relatively small shop (150 employees) so this doesn't take too long. On the other hand, when it comes to the Quality Record, I have faith in those people assigned to maintain those files - so when records are disposed of, I know they are done properly.

Cheers!

[gpainter]

We are ISO 9002 and have set minimum retention times for all our QMS records. Have had no problem to date. The question is "What does your QMS require of you?"

Thanks for your comments guys, Energy: I have the impression that you are only looking the documentation side of it, what I'm talking about is more of quality recors such as inspection sheets, from 2 years ago for example, that certain department has to dispose every year and maybe (Not sure yet) live evidence of the date those were disposed.. get it?